A stop at any one of the many fast food restaurants across our country could be made more enjoyable if a person did not have to fight the ice in their cold drinks. For many people, it can be most annoying when trying to get a good-sized gulp of refreshing drink. A straw does not allow enough liquid refreshment to pass through to give that satisfaction looked for in any drink. Ice can also be a nuisance to sensitive teeth and lips as well as promote spillage as the ice falls forward from a tipped cup.
It would be very helpful and pleasurable if some device were available to block the ice inside the cup allowing one to drink a good-sized gulp without accident, inconvenience, or discomfort. It would also be appreciated if there were no added cost to the beverage with such a device, nor detraction from the overall appetizing appearance of the beverage drink.
Inventors have created various forms of ice retaining devices or strainers to accommodate this need or similar need. One such device is available which is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,508,235 to Steele (1985, Apr. 2). This hemispherically-shaped cover includes a top opening for receiving the beverage. The cover itself inhibits spillage of the beverage over the rim of the cup due to the foaming action of the beverage and yet still allows the straw to be used through the opening for drinking. However, it has limitations since a straw is a necessary part of its function.
Other such types of devices which have been designed are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,173,374 to Nolda (1916, Feb. 29), 2,357,063 to Swing (1944, Aug. 29), and 2,744,631 to Toombs (1956, May 8). They require clamps or clips to insert and remove the device or hold it in place within the drinking glass or vessel. Also, the devices are designed for retaining large chunks or cubes of ice or for straining the liquid, except for the ice guard of U.S. Pat. No. 2,357,063 to Swing which is mentioned above. These particular designs cannot contain the ice near the inner cup wall keeping it from suddenly falling forward splashing the beverage through the device. Nolda mentioned above shows the device with a conically-shaped resilient ring with a slit which has to be inserted and removed from the beverage glass with prongs which is inconvenient to the user. None show the device as having a side section like that of the present invention having a plurality of openings for the beverage to flow through.
The inventions disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,753,050 to Langston (1956, July 3) and 2,136,755 to Prince (1938, Nov. 15) show a trapping means or guard for retaining only large cubes or chunks of ice or fruits and which do not provide an easy, convenient, and dependable way to insert the device correctly or in its removal. These inventions are not easy and economical to manufacture in comparison to the present invention.
The materials suggested to be used in making these devices are varied, but a transparent material is not suggested to make the device unobvious and non-distracting within the beverage glass or vessel.
Several types of drinking vessels have been designed as in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,184,126 to Casull (1965, May 18) which has a flow control valve to prevent spillage, and 2,529,114 to Tellier (1950, Nov. 7) which provides a safety cup and cap designed to facilitate drinking and yet prevent spillage. Both of these designs feature elements for controlling the flow of the beverage and not for retaining the ice.
Other types of drinking vessels as in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,136,755 to Prince and 2,753,050 to Langston show annular grooves or bulges designed to accommodate a trapping device but they do not provide an easy, operative means for inserting and removing the device. They also fail in locking the device securely in place.
With the foregoing in mind, the present invention provides an easy, convenient, and dependable way to insert and remove the ice trapping device and still be very functional in performing completely its purpose, and yet still provide an unobvious, non-distracting, and appealing way to drink iced beverages without accident, or ice blocking up against the mouth and teeth.